THERE was a time long ago, and if we had lived then, we shouldn't be living now.
In that time there was a law in the world that if a young man came to woo a young woman, and her people wouldn't give her to him, the young woman should get her death by the law.
There was a king in Erin at that time who had a daughter, and he had a son too, who was called Kil Arthur, son of the monarch of Erin.
Now, not far from the castle of the king there was a tinker; and one morning he said to his mother: "Put down my breakfast for me, mother."
"Where are you going?" asked the mother.
"I'm going for a wife."
"Where?"
"I am going for the daughter of the king of Erin."
"Oh! my son, bad luck is upon you. It is death to ask for the king's daughter, and you a tinker."
"I don't care for that," said he.